title: Isolation of Toxoplasma gondii strains similar to Africa 1 genotype in Turkey.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Toxoplasma gondii is a protozoon parasite that has a worldwide dissemination. It can cause serious clinical problems such as congenital toxoplasmosis, retinochoroiditis, and encephalitis. Currently, T. gondii genotypes are being associated with these clinical presentations which may help clinicians design their treatment strategy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two T. gondii strains named Ankara and Ege-1 were isolated from newborns with congenital toxoplasmosis in Central and Western Anatolia, respectively. Ankara and Ege-1 strains were isolated from the cerebrospinal fluid of newborns. According to microsatellite analysis, Ankara and Ege-1 strains were sorted as Africa 1 genotype.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  T. gondii strains isolated in Turkey were first time genotyped in this study. Africa 1 genotype has previously been isolated in immunosuppressed patients originating from sub-Saharan Africa. The reason of detecting a strain mainly detected in Africa can be associated with Turkey's specific geographical location. Turkey is like a bridge between Asia, Europe and Africa. Historically, Anatolia was on the Silk Road and other trading routes that ended in Europe. Thus, detecting Africa 1 strain in Anatolia can be anticipated. Consequently, strains detected mainly in Europe and Asia may also be detected in Anatolia and vice versa. Therefore, further studies are required to isolate more strains from Turkey.
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology, Ege University Medical School, Bornova/İzmir 35100, Turkey. mert.doskaya@ege.edu.tr
authors.forename: Mert
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Döşkaya
authors.forename: Ayşe
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Caner
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ajzenberg
authors.forename: Aysu
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Değirmenci
authors.forename: Marie-Laure
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Dardé
authors.forename: Hüseyin
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Can
authors.forename: Derya Dirim
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Erdoğan
authors.forename: Metin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Korkmaz
authors.forename: Ahmet
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Uner
authors.forename: Ciğdem
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Güngör
authors.forename: Kürşat
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Altıntaş
authors.forename: Yüksel
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Gürüz
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D018895:Microsatellite Repeats / Q000235:genetics; D014122:Toxoplasma / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D014125:Toxoplasmosis, Congenital / Q000097:blood / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology*; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan
keywords: Africa 1 genotype; Anatolia; Microsatellite genotyping; Toxoplasma gondii; Turkey